Magistrate puts PF official on defence

A KITWE magistrate’s court has put Patriotic Front (PF) Copperbelt provincial chairman Stephen Kainga and his deputy on their defence after finding them with a case to answer on a charge of obstructing a police officer from executing his duties.
Kainga and the youth vice-chairman Stanley Chandindi are charged with obstructing a police officer from carrying out his duties.
It is alleged that on July 15 this year, Kainga and Chandindi jointly and while acting together obstructed a Zambia police officer from executing his duties in Kitwe.
In his ruling, principal resident magistrate Ikechukwu Iduma said there was enough evidence that the accused obstructed the police officer from performing his duties.
He said evidence from the State witnesses weighed against the two, which was why he was placing them on their defence.

“I note that there is evidence before me that a gun was fired. The State has proved that the accused stopped the police from conducting their duties. I am of the firm belief that a prima-facie case has been proved against the duo,” Magistrate Iduma said.
Kainga applied for an adjournment to allow him and his accomplice to prepare their defence and told the court that they have two witnesses to call.
During trial, inspector Kayala Mwambazi told the Court that the two PF officials obstructed him and his fellow police officers from carrying out their duties.
He narrated that Kainga and Chandindi wanted to prevent officers from arresting Richard Chileshe who had fired a gun shot.
“After we apprehended Chileshe for firing a gun, we wanted to take him to the other vehicle and that is how the two accused came and obstructed us from carrying out our duties,” he said.
Inspector Mwambazi said despite the threats, the police went ahead and arrested them for obstruction.
“The two accused had no authority to stop us from arresting Chileshe, who had fired a gun shot. We went ahead and arrested them,” he said.
Magistrate Iduma adjourned the matter to November 9, 2015.